Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-19
FARM NOTES.

New asparagus beds shoald be very
sparingly cut the second year after plant
ing.
Newly planted grape vines should bear
but single shoot. Layers of old wood
may be made.
Fine, silky hair on an animal indicates
that it will fatten readily, while coarse,
stiff hair indicates the reverse.
It is lust as easy to break a calf to be
led by a halter as it is to do the same
with colt and it will often save labor.
Plant cuttings of grape vines, currants
ETC., leaving but one bud on the surface;
crowd the soil hard against the lower end
of the cuttings.
1t has been shown by experience that
q pig digests larger percentage of grain
converting it into animal increase, than
9 steer cow or sheep.
Branches that were broken durizg the
winter should be cut near to the trunk,
q smooth cut made and covered with
grating wax or thick paint.
Lucerne is valuable keguminoss plant
that thrives in all good soil of a feed cal
,careous nature. On wet land it produces
three or four abundant cuttings.
Eggs intended for Matching should not
be over two weeks old. If muGh older it
takes longer to hatch them, and the
chicks are, las general thing, not SO
thrifty.
The farmer of to-6ay, with brains and
ambition to make his farm pay, must
clear his mind of ,oobwebs. and his back
of moss, and take kis garden out into the
open field.
If you wish to prevent weeds and grass
from growing on the walk-ways, sprinkle
kerosene oil freely, but be careful not to
get it on the plants yoU wish to grow
along the borders.
AS sow's filters improve in size and
quality as the dam becomes older end
their milk usually increases, it is better
to keep old sows forbseeding than to
fatten them for pork.
Aged animals should sbe fed ground
food, as they csR not grind whole grains,
the consequence being'e waste of food,
unless the food be ground. By so doing
smaller proportion oftfood will be re-
CURED, while the animals will keen IN
better condition.
Evergreen hedges should be trimme
before they shall have made heavy growth.
Tt is not injurious to trim them somewhat
late, bnt the work should be done before
they shall have become TOO heavy, SO as
to save cutting away as much wood as
possible.
Where the su-face of stae soil "bakes''
plenty of seed should be used, and they
should be planted close together, as they
will then assist each other6o push through
after terminating. The surplus plants
can be thinned ont after they shall be well
under growth.
Buttermilk, or skim milk Shickened with
imiddlings, makes an excellent food for
young pigs after they have been weanee,
but they should also have grass and cook
ed turnips. Avoid feeding much core.
Growing pigs SHOULD not be made fat,
but kept in thrifty, growing condition.
1t is often remarked that too much ma
.nure will produce plenty of vine and but
little fruit. This Dis due TO the manure
being Improperly proportiened. An eK-
cess of nitrogen &guano or nitrate of
soda) induces an extra growth of vine,
but where the manure contains suffici-
ency of phosporie acid and potash, as
well as of nitrogen, there viii not only be
healthy vine but an abundance of fruit
also.
The greatest drawback to ,dairying is
that the dairymen buy their COWS and do
not raise them. Under such a system
there can be very little improvement,
while the average yield of milk can not
be increased. Under the system now
practiced two COWS are kept wkere one
would suffice if they were of an improved
breed. Yet the opportunities for i'm
proyement are within the reach OF all, as
single male will change the characters
tiee Of an entire herd in q few yaars.